Mirrored Destinies
by SeptemberRaven
Summary: His sole purpose was to serve. His sole purpose was to guide the hero on his journey throughout the surface. Skyward Sword AU where Fi and Ghirahim have switched roles. Eventual friendship-type GhiraLink Warnings: violence
1. Awakening

**Hello! So, since I haven't seen anyone else really touch on this idea, I've decided to!**

**Quite simply, Fi and Ghirahim have swapped roles. Should be fun hm?**

* * *

"You know… Link. There's something I've been meaning to talk to you about…"

Zelda's words were still ringing clearly in his ears moments before it hit, the bright flash of light nearly blinding him.

How could it have been going so well one minute, and then all have turned upside down in the next?

The winds became violent, currents ripping through the air like jagged claws. They were being dragged towards the vortex, Loftwing's screeching as they tried to fight it. And then she fell, slipping from her bird, screaming as plummeted.

Without a moment's hesitation, without a second thought, he dived straight after her. But as if the twister had a mind of its own, it threw him back with a sudden savage burst of force. He was cast back into the sky. All he heard before being swallowed by darkness was her scream still echoing through his mind.

* * *

Falling, falling…

"_Link…"_

He hears a voice calling to him and opens his eyes, wincing at the bright light he is bathed in.

A figure is staring back at him. Though it is hard to distinguish their features around the intensity of the light, he is able to make out two solid white eyes.

"_I am waiting for you…"_

The voice is smooth, yet almost taunting in nature. It beckons him and he reaches out but the figure is further away now, blurrier...

"_You are required, vital to this mission of great importance… now awaken, Link…"_

The figure drifts away and darkness washes over him, all around him. Which way was he falling?

A chuckle belonging to that same voice is in his ear once more, but closer, too close.

"_Come find me, chosen hero of the goddess…"_

* * *

Link's eyes snapped open and he bolted upright on the bed in a panic, unable to make sense of where he was for a few disorienting moments. Immediately he winced at the ache that shot through his entire body.

"Ah… you're awake."

He looked over to his side at the sound of a familiar voice, seeing the headmaster of the knight academy, and blinked in confusion. He soon realized that he was back in his dorm room, though how he'd returned he had no recollection of…

"You were limp and unconscious when your loftwing carried you back. I feared the worst," Gaepora explained. "Fortunately, you don't appear to have any serious injuries. For that much we can be grateful."

Link's eyes widened a tiny fraction.

It all came back to him, rushing over him like a wave; his dream, the tornado, Zelda…

Zelda.

Sensing his tension, Gaepora drew closer, almost cautiously, worry written all over his features. "But, Link, where is Zelda? She was with you, was she not...?"

Link didn't respond at first. He couldn't. He wasn't able to make sense of the events that had taken place in the past few hours. And most importantly, he didn't know where Zelda had disappeared to beneath the clouds.

Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, the teen turned his gaze to the headmaster and did his best to explain what had happened. Gaepora listened with patience, remaining silent until Link had finished.

"A black tornado, you say? Hmm… that was no ordinary storm." Gaepora frowned, beginning to pace slowly.

Link nodded absentmindedly, his hands resting on his knees as he tried to think of some explanation for this. Suddenly, he felt the strong impulse to move, to go somewhere, as if something were pulling him. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and began to stand when the headmaster stopped him by holding out a hand.

"You must not push yourself. You're still recovering. Tell me, when you were with Zelda today, did anything about her seem… off?"

A sigh left Link's mouth and he lowered his eyes to the floor. "She… she said she kept hearing a voice calling to her from down beneath the clouds. That's the only thing I can think of."

Gaepora nodded slowly in understanding. "I see… She was speaking of the surface then?"

"I believe so," Link replied quietly. Zelda's father placed a hand on his shoulder comfortingly.

"This is all very strange but I'm afraid that rescue attempts will have to be made when day breaks. Searching for one girl and her bird in the dark of night would be very difficult, not to mention dangerous," he said, a frown etched into his brow.

Link felt a twinge of irritation, knowing that he was right. He bit his lip but didn't say anything in response.

"I'm concerned for Zelda, but as long as she's with her Loftwing, she'll be alright. Rest now, Link. Zelda is going to be fine. She's out there alive, I can feel it," the headmaster pulled away and headed for the door.

Link merely sat there, mulling about what to do long after the door had shut after him. It just didn't seem right to not get a rescue mission started right away, not while Zelda could be out who knows where, but what could be done about it? Besides, if he didn't rest now then he'd have no strength to go looking for her tomorrow, not that he had any idea of where to start looking…

He sighed and lay back on his forest green bedspread, his eyes sliding shut. He merely lay there in the silence of his bedroom, the whirlwind of thoughts running through his mind unceasing.

'_Link…'_

The teen's eyes snapped open. It was there again, that same voice, but closer. He sat up. Was he in a dream?

Almost magnetically, he felt his gaze pulled towards the door of his room.

No… something told him he was wide awake this time.

Pushing off of his bed he dashed for the handle and practically threw the door open, not so eager to let the voice that had been haunting him over the course of the past few days escape so easily this time. At first he saw nothing. But, turning his head towards the curved staircase, he finally spotted what he knew to be the being that had been speaking with him. It had to be.

The dark form levitated not two feet above the first stair, silent, unearthly in appearance. Stripes of white criss-crossed all over his body, converging at the silver diamond in the center of his chest. His – at least Link was sure it was male – solid white eyes regarded the boy before him coolly. Link could have sworn he saw a flash of condescension but it was gone as the corners of the specter's lips turned up in a beguiling smile. Then, without taking his eyes off of him, he drifted backwards and up to the landing.

Immediately, Link was compelled to follow.

"Wait!" He called, starting up the steps. Had no one else seen the spirit?

The being did not wait. Link followed it down, all the way to the end of the hall. He thought he had it cornered, there was seemingly nowhere else to go, but he was proven wrong. The spirit passed through the door as if the wood were nothing more than a sheet of vapour.

Quickly overcoming his surprise, he twisted the handle of the academy's door – thankfully it hadn't been locked – and stepped out into the night. All was strangely silent, not a single cry from the monsters that plagued Skyloft at night could be heard.

It was… odd to say the least. The atmosphere was almost surreal, undisturbed, fragile, as if he could easily reach out and shatter it with the lightest touch.

The dark being was just up ahead, obsidian skin glinting in the torchlight. Link once again approached but it flitted further away, towards the stairs that lead up to the Statue of the Goddess.

"Who are you?" He called out, dashing after the mysterious being. The volume of his own voice surprised him, carrying out into the sky in a desolate echo. Frustratingly enough, the figure did not grace him with a response, only moving out of reach whenever he got too close.

He soon found himself at the top of the stairs, the entrance to the courtyard in front of the statue blocked off. The spirit seemed undeterred, swiftly moving off to a hidden path on the side of the island. Confused for a moment, Link hesitated before following.

He carefully dropped down to a ledge below. The breeze was stronger down here, the wind caressing his cheeks and running through his sandy blond hair. This was a part of Skyloft he hadn't explored thoroughly, and especially not at night. He continued along the path, quietly stalking around a sleeping Remlit, knowing how vicious the little creatures could be after the sun had set. He looked back up to see the spirit disappear around a corner and hurried to catch up.

The path ahead sloped steeply upwards. Having been worn by the chase thus far, Link had to stop for a moment to regain his breath. He looked up to the top of the slope, where the floating spirit was looking down at him, seemingly amused as he patiently waited for the Skyloftian. Irritated by the aloofness the other displayed, Link sprinted up the hill with determination, nearly losing his footing a few times on the loose gravel but managing to keep his balance until his feet were on grass once more.

When he glanced around again the figure had disappeared from sight.

With nowhere to go but up, the youth braved a short jump over a sheer drop to the clouds below. There were vines growing up one wall that appeared to curve back to the top of the island, only there was no ledge underneath so if he fell there would be nothing to stop him from plummeting to the clouds below.

Panting with exertion, the youth took a breather, his hands resting on his knees. He raised his head and narrowed his eyes, hoping that he would at the very least have some answers after this.

His hands grasped the thick stems as he pulled his weight upwards, over the rock and steadily up the side of the island. His lips turned up in a breathless smirk. This was probably insane but then again he'd seen people do crazier tricks on their Loftwing's, and even attempted some himself.

He panted heavily as he neared the top, finally grasping the ledge and beginning to pull himself up.

It was so sudden. One moment there was nothing there and the next there was a face, inches from his own. He cried out in a panic and jerked back, barely just managing to hold onto the vines. He could have sworn he heard a chuckle, the same chuckle from his dream, as he felt the spirit move away.

"Goddesses…" he breathed, hanging there for a few more seconds, his heart hammering against his rib cage, before he pulled himself up.

Was this entity trying to show him something or get him killed?

The dark figure was waiting for him a short distance up ahead, expression even more smug than before. Link shot it a dirty look, but didn't run after it this time, instead leisurely jogging after it as it lead him around and to the front of the Goddess Statue.

He watched with interest and mild surprise when the figure drifted back into the stone, which melted away and revealed an opening at the base of the statue.

Link stepped in front of the doorway, his eyes widening in shock as he peered down the tunnel leading into darkness. Did anyone else on the island know this had existed?

Piqued with a new slew of questions, the curious youth proceeded down into the statue's waiting depths.

* * *

Before long the narrow hallway had opened up into a circular chamber, the ceiling stretching high above his head. The area was alight with torches, their flickering glow sending shadows dancing in the far reaches of the room. Intricate designs crawled up the walls and along the floor, images of some far away past engraved in stone.

It was all very fascinating, but the item that caught his attention the most lay at the center of the chamber.

The sword was dark, though it was hard to tell if it was black or a midnight blue from far away. The shape of it was unlike anything he had ever seen before. The pommel and guard were flared; the edges looked so sharp that it appeared even the handle of the sword could be used as a weapon. The blade itself was long and sleek, a golden three-triangled mark imprinted just above the handle.

Link found himself somewhat intimidated by the aesthetics of this peculiar discovery. Yet, like a naïve child, he was drawn in for a closer look…

Booming laughter echoed around the chamber, causing the boy to nearly jump out of his skin and glance around frantically. The voice seemed to be moving around the walls, yet the source of it was unseen. He couldn't pin-point its location.

Then, as swiftly as the presence had come, it just left and all fell silent again.

… Or did it really leave?

Taken completely off guard, Link could only draw in a sharp gasp as strong arms encircled his torso, their owner out of sight behind him. Lips were then close to his ear, practically pressing against it as warm breath slid over his neck. He went rigid, not quite sure how to react to this sudden embrace.

"I've been waiting for you for a _very_ long time, dear boy…"

The words were not spoken with malice, but there was _something_ behind their smooth tone, whether it be impatience or displeasure, it set Link on edge. No doubt about it, it was the spirit from his dream, the being he had followed all the way up to the statue. The youth swallowed nervously, unsure of the other's motives.

An odd sort of purring noise sounded in the apprehensive human's ear, making him shiver and frown in confusion.

Something told him the spirit meant no harm but, if these advances were any indication, he couldn't quite say whether that was true or not.

Then, just like that, the being removed himself, leaving the boy feeling strangely violated. When Link spun around, nothing was there.

Link scowled, tired of being toyed with, and once again began to approach the pedestal that the dark blade was stuck in. A blinding white light flashed from the hilt and the black and white figure appeared once more, standing in front of the sword. Link was somewhat taken aback at first by the fact that the man's feet were actually touching the ground this time.

It didn't take long for him to put two and two together; the sword _must _have been the spirit's vessel.

"The one my creator has chosen… at last we meet, face to face," the figure said, raising his chin towards the teen in a gesture of superiority.

Link narrowed his eyes, not liking the stare the other was giving him. The spirit rose up a few feet, beginning to drift around the room as if pacing, his voice a subtly-mocking drawl.

"You know, for someone to play the role of the hero, I would have expected you to be a bit… taller in stature?" He grinned, flashing his strikingly white canines. "But, I suppose you'll do…"

Link ignored the offhanded jeer, having been teased about his height numerous times before. It was nothing new.

"Who are you and why did you bring me here?"

That brought a loud sigh from the spirit.

"Ah yes, questions, questions…" he peered down at the hero, "your little mind must be buzzing with them, hmm?"

Link rotated on his heel slowly, his eyes following the specter as he began circling the outer edges of the room, briefly disappearing behind the pillars every so often. It set Link on edge. Was he supposed to trust this being or not?

"Those troubling dreams plaguing your sleep… My sudden appearance… but most importantly…" the spirit paused as if for dramatic effect, "… what of your friend's fate?"

Link's eyes widened; a miniscule action that didn't go unnoticed by his companion.

"Ah yes, that darling girl…" the spirit exclaimed dramatically, throwing the back of his hand over his face, "torn away from you and swept below the clouds… how awful. Well fret not, chosen one. The one you seek, honourable Zelda, is still among the living…"

The teen looked up, hopeful at the mention of his friend being alive.

"… And she is fated to play a part in a great destiny, as are you. Can you feel it? The ball has begun rolling already, little sky child…" The dark being smiled at Link as his form gracefully touched down just behind the blade lodged in the pedestal. His hands came up to rest on its handle as he tilted towards Link to mutter lowly. "Now, should you desire to seek her out, your first step is to draw this sword from its pedestal and raise it skyward. That shouldn't be too much of a challenge, hm?"

Link looked from the sword to the spirit, then back to the sword again, hesitation evident in his expression. It was clear as day that he wasn't entirely certain what he was preparing to accept, or if he even wanted to do so. But he thought of Zelda… and if this being new of her condition then he had to know of her whereabouts.

The spirit moved back, rising into the air a short ways above as he offered further persuasion. "If you are able to do it, I'll answer whatever question you can conjure up. Seems reasonable, yes?"

Making up his decision, the young Skyloftian moved into a suitable stance, widening the space between his feet and raising his hands to grip the sword's handle. It was cold to the touch, but he paid that fact no mind as he tensed his muscles and pulled up. The blade slid free from the stone easier than he thought it would, causing him to lose his balance rather ungracefully. Taking a moment to right himself (and ignoring the amused chuckled coming from the spirit) the blond stared down at the newly claimed weapon in wonder.

Contrary to what he'd expected, it was light, feeling almost natural in his grip… which was odd considering he already wasn't too fond of the being inhabiting it.

Curiously, Link raised the blade up above his head, mesmerized as a beam of holy light crawled down the steel. The sword began to emit a light violet glow and the hero could feel its power, the weight of what he had just accepted.

A slow clapping sound brought his attention back over to his companion.

"Bravo. Remarkable. Outstanding. I'm speechless." The black and white spirit spoke as he brought his hands together over and over again, though it was obvious he was far from impressed.

The youth lowered the Goddess' Sword to his side, looking up at him questioningly.

"You still haven't told me your name."

That seemed to take the spirit off guard.

"Oh, how positively uncivil of me!" He exclaimed, his shock actually looking genuine. "Where are my manners? My deepest apologies. As for my name…"

Link watched as the spirit lowered himself to the floor before him, giving a bow that was nothing short of sarcastically respectful.

"You may call me _Ghirahim."_

* * *

**For any of those who are reading Sanguinary... it probably won't be updated for a while. Quite simply, I have no motivation for it.**

**R&R**


	2. A New Foe

**Wooo hooo chapter 2**

**funfunfun**

**Sorry for typos if there are any~!**

* * *

The surface was breathtaking, unlike anything he could have ever imagined on his own.

The first thing he saw when he passed the cloud barrier was a seemingly infinite number of trees covering the land below. He could see everything from above as he descended; the far reaches of the forest, a large body of water, the earth stretching to the horizon line. In the distance he could even see some sort of mountain…

And he'd thought Skyloft was large, but it was tiny, microscopic compared to what lay beneath it.

The moment the hero's feet touched the foreign ground a variety of new smells and sounds bombarded his senses. He'd looked up and seen the treetops stretch high above his head, eyes widening because this was all so strange to him, a creature born in the sky.

He didn't have much time to gawk, however, for his companion ushered him through the grove known as the Sealed Grounds. Soon enough he had founds his way into the nearby temple and spoken with its resident: an old woman who had offered him some valuable information on Zelda's whereabouts.

He'd proceeded into the deeper woods after his best friend, coming across creatures he'd never seen or even heard of before. A particular variety were known as the Kikwi and somehow Link found himself doing a task for their elder which, upon completion, would grant him something he needed to proceed after the golden-haired girl.

The well-intentioned hero didn't mind doing this errand of course, though his sword spirit was doing his best to make the experience as infuriating as possible.

"Your tracking abilities astound me, sky child…" Ghirahim's voice droned from the sword Link carried on his back.

Every so often, the sword spirit would throw out a snide remark or give instructions in a rather condescending way. The hero didn't know why but Ghirahim seemed to have a profound dislike for him, which was odd considering he was supposed to be his assistant.

Also, for whatever reason, his companion insisted on calling him 'sky child.' He hadn't heard his actual name spoken since their descent from Skyloft.

Link just couldn't understand it.

"Was that the fourth time you've passed that tree or the fifth?" The spirit offered unhelpfully.

The blond sighed, doing his best to keep his tone patient as he continued through the Faron Woods. "I don't know. Why don't you tell me?"

He hated to admit it, but he was at a loss for what to do next. He had found two of the three Kikwi, but no matter where he looked he couldn't locate a path to the final one. The forest was like a maze to him, even with his sword's dowsing ability. He was almost afraid of straying too deep within it for fear of not being able to find his way back before night fell, stranding him in the dark of this unfamiliar region…

"I take it back. Your ability to get lost doing the simplest of tasks astounds me more," Ghirahim's voice cut through his thoughts.

"You could help me instead of providing commentary, you know," Link replied evenly. The spirit seemed bent on getting a rise out of him, but he wouldn't let that happen so easily.

Ghirahim's voice rang with mock delight. "Oh? You require my assistance?"

The blond rolled his eyes. "No, what would make you say that?"

"Is that sarcasm I'm detecting? I'm impressed," Ghirahim proclaimed. Link just did his best to ignore him.

Swinging over a small gap via vine, Link rolled as he landed before standing up to look around. There was something distinctly familiar about this area. Up ahead stood a large creature resembling an oversized cushion; the Elder Kikwi, Bucha.

"This is where I started…" Link's eyebrows drew together. The sword spirit scoffed loudly.

"Oh, really, this is getting painful to watch…"

Without any sort of prompt, the Goddess' Sword flashed and the black and white being appeared. Link had to resist the urge to sigh again (he had been doing that a lot lately.)

"I've been on the surface for less than a few hours, Ghirahim. I don't exactly know my way around," Link pointed out.

Ghirahim merely folded his arms over his chest and drifted back over to a ginormous tree trunk, stopping near it. His expression clearly said he wanted the boy to take the hint. Link had no idea what he was trying to point out until he finally spotted it: an opening near the bottom of the trunk. Upon closer inspection it looked to be big enough for him to fit through. How had he managed to miss this?

Link suddenly felt incredibly stupid.

"Oh," was all he said. Luckily Ghirahim didn't vocalize any insults he may have had, but his satisfied smirk was enough. The sword spirit casually returned to his vessel.

Cheeks reddening, the hero got down on his knees to crawl through the hole. The inside of the tree was incredibly spacious, possibly bigger than his room in Skyloft. The walls of the hollow were covered in some strange fungi-like plants, though he didn't really pay attention to that detail for something else caught his attention. A soft pink light flickered up ahead.

Look stood up, peering at it curiously. "What is that…?" he asked softly. He was a bit surprised to actually receive an answer.

"That, sky child, is a fairy. They have special properties, such as being able to heal even the most fatal of injuries with their powerful magic. Highly valuable creatures to possess… but tricky little things to catch."

Link blinked as he watched the fairy flutter through the air around a few plants. Something like that could actually be really useful. He knew he had two bottles, one of which held a red potion, the other empty.

There was a pause before Ghirahim spoke again.

"You're not thinking of…"

But Link had already made a grab for the tiny sprite with an open bottle. It flitted away from him so he tried again. This time it merely zoomed around him, bouncing in the air playfully.

"Hey!" Link spun on his heel and managed to snag it on the third try, quickly capping the bottle. The blond raised it up to eye level for a good look.

At first glance it merely appeared to be a ball of light with wings, but examining it closer he noticed that it actually was a tiny glowing figure. She was feminine in appearance, cloud coloured hair cascading to her waist, her large eyes staring back at him through the glass.

Link frowned at the tiny humanoid creature.

It almost… didn't seem right to keep her captive like this.

"You're not seriously going to let it go after that silly little dance you did capturing it, are you?" Ghirahim sighed loudly from his vessel.

The hero looked back over his shoulder before returning his attention to the fairy. She seemed pretty content, much to his surprise, sitting down on the floor of the bottle and seemingly just waiting.

"I suppose not," Link said after a few moments, carefully stowing the bottle away.

Ghirahim chuckled. The teen could almost see him shaking his head. "Naïve child."

"Let's just find the last Kikwi and then go after Zelda," the hero resolved, beginning to scale the vines along one wall up to the top ledge where he could see another opening in the tree.

"I have no qualms with that. You are the one that has been wasting our time thus far."

…

The journey into the deeper woods proved to be not nearly as difficult at Link expected it to be for all the fuss his companion was making. Soon enough the duo had located the structure known as the Skyview Temple. The hero had regarded it for a few moments, knowing Zelda was somewhere within its walls, before descending down the steps to venture inside.

Navigating through its cracked and overgrown tunnels was fairly easy, though he did find himself stumped on puzzles a few times (much to his sword spirit's amusement.) The monsters weren't too much of a challenge to defeat, though Link couldn't help but wonder how Zelda had passed them so easily, and if she had made it through in one piece.

Finally he reached the deepest part of the temple. The hero stood before two ornately decorated doors. This had to be the end, Zelda couldn't be far from here.

The blond was about to unlock the double doors when he sensed a disturbance in the air and turned to look behind himself, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. His eyes narrowed suspiciously. He couldn't quite explain it but something felt… off, as there were an unseen pair of eyes scrutinizing his every move. It made him uneasy.

An impatient chime from his blade made him turn back towards the door. Quickly reaching back to briefly grasp the handle of his sword to silence the spirit within, he turned his attention to the strangely shaped key and lock. It took him a few long moments but he managed to solve the final puzzle that the temple had to offer.

With a small woosh of air, the doors swung open and he proceeded inside.

Immediately the atmosphere felt different as he stepped into a large circular room. A loud slam behind him indicated that the doors had shut once more and he was sealed in.

Link's eyes widened in surprise as he spotted a cloaked figure standing at the other end of the room, their body turned away from his.

'Who is that…?' He thought, taking a careful step forward.

The figure didn't look all that imposing, but something about the space surrounding them screamed at Link to turn back, get as far away as possible before it was too late. He ignored the impulse, drawing closer to them to get a better look.

Sensing his presence, the figure turned their head towards him in one brisk motion, now facing sideways to him. Link wasn't sure what he expected, but he was somewhat taken aback by their appearance.

She was young, possibly around the same age as he, though something told him that she couldn't be human. Her hair was a strange shade of blue, framing her delicate features. Her skin was of the same colour, only much lighter. The paleness of her complexion looked almost ghostly.

Her attire was even more peculiar, though much of it was obscured by the dark cape she wore draped over herself. In a way the cloak resembled wings, the edges of it reaching just past her knees. She wasn't much taller than the hero, only standing about an inch over him, though that was probably because of some sort of heel.

Her blue eyes regarded him blankly for a few long, silent moments, no sort of emotion passing through them. Link could only stare back, wondering who exactly this person was, the back of his mind prickling with unease.

"You are alive," she stated, blinking slowly, her tone devoid of surprise or disappointment. Link felt a bad feeling beginning to sink into his stomach as her next words came, a chill coming over him.

"I had assumed that tornado would have eliminated you, though it appears I have made a miscalculation for you stand here in one piece." She paused for a moment as though contemplating something. "I suppose it does not matter. My speculations indicate that your existence now only holds thirteen percent significance to the situation."

She raised one gloved hand, bringing it up to rest on the golden door, right over the glowing symbol engraved into the stone.

"The only reason I converse with you is because this door is sealed and I cannot proceed to the one who lies beyond."

It didn't take the hero long to piece it together. She was the one who had sent that tornado. She was the one who had ripped his best friend away from him and put her in danger. She was the enemy.

His eyes narrowed dangerously as his anger began to boil, gloved fists clenching at his sides.

"You're the one after Zelda," he accused.

Her expression was unchanging as though she hadn't noticed his change in disposition, or perhaps she didn't care.

"So you know as much," the strange female continued monotonously. "The storm was necessary for her to be brought down beneath the clouds. Her soul is absolutely vital to our mission. Regrettably, she has slipped from our grasp due to outside interference." She seemed to stop and exhale somewhat deeper, like she was sighing, but the minute action seemed to be much too human for her to perform. "I have a low tolerance for mistakes, but this minor setback can and will be corrected."

Link seethed; frustrated that he had no idea what was going on, or why Zelda was being targeted like this. What had she done to anyone?

At that point, Ghirahim decided to pipe up from the blade that he was confined to.

"Oh! I can feel your anger smouldering inside you, sky child…" his smooth voice echoed through Link's mind, obviously pleased at the prospect of battle. "Challenge her."

Link didn't need any prompting however. He had already reached for his sword and shield before the spirit had even finished talking.

The girl turned her body to face him fully, her mechanically cold eyes analyzing him.

"You've drawn your sword, indicating an eighty seven percent chance that you wish to engage in battle." She blinked. "And your rate of threat has gone up by three percent. That's impressive for a human."

Link scowled, positive that was her way of insulting him.

"Though your stance indicates you are inexperienced and unsure. My analysis reveals that the chances of your survival are not high."

The hero raised his blade, keeping his sights trained on her. "I don't care. I'll fight you if it means protecting Zelda."

The young woman didn't seem to mind that a sword was being pointed threateningly at her and merely dipped her head in a small nod.

"It would be civil to introduce one's self beforehand. My full title is Demon Mistress Fi. 'Fi' on its own is appropriate however."

"Link," the blond curtly offered in return.

"Very well, Link," Fi acknowledged flatly. Then she was simply gone in an instant, as though having blinked out of existence. Link gasped, taken by surprise, and frantically looked around for her.

There was a swish from behind him, and then the sound of metal hitting metal rang out before the room exploded in light. Alarmed, the hero staggered forward, spinning on his heel to look behind himself.

Fi was there, brandishing some sort of long sword, which she had raised out to the side as if she had just struck with it. But that wasn't what immediately caught Link's attention. Between him and the demon was his own sword spirit, hunched over and clutching his chest like he had just taken the brunt of an attack.

The hero's eyes widened, realizing that that was exactly what Ghirahim had done.

In a small flash of white light, the dark spirit vanished back into his vessel. His voice echoed through Link's mind a few moments later, strained as though he'd taken some massive damage.

"You should be thankful your head is still attached to your shoulders," Ghirahim's tone was sardonic. "She's more dangerous than I had assumed…"

At that precise moment, Fi shot forward, blade extended towards him, aimed for his heart. The Skyloftian only just barely managed to move out of the way, bringing his own sword up to ward off another attack, but the force of it sent him sliding back several feet.

Fi briefly paused her assault. Link could have sworn he saw her eyes narrow the tiniest bit. "How peculiar. An attack such as that should have killed a human easily, yet you were able to avoid it."

She looked like she was about to say something else but Link didn't let her finish, his feet pounding against the stone floor as he rushed her. Just as he thought he was about to land a hit, her free hand shot out, easily catching his blade. The hero couldn't mask his shock as the demon mistress wrapped her fingers around the steel and held it tightly. It didn't even appear to be cutting her!

Link could hear his own heartbeat pounding violently in his ears as he tried to wrench his sword free from her grasp, but to no avail. Her expression remained as neutral as ever; she didn't even appear to be putting any effort into holding his only weapon hostage. In one swift motion she raised her leg and landed a powerful kick to his midsection, sending him flying to land flat on his back, winded and coughing.

The hero jumped to his feet just in time to see Fi whip his blade back at him and did the only thing he could think of: raising his wooden shield to keep it from impaling him. The sword bounced off of the wood, causing a good deal of damage to it, and landed on the floor. He didn't hesitate to reclaim it.

Facing her once more, he backed away slowly as she approached without hurry. Link swallowed, unsure of what to do now.

What was she…?

"Your shield is down to about fifty percent durability," she observed. Link didn't need to check to confirm she was right.

"Keep on your guard, sky child," Ghirahim chimed from the back of his mind. The hero scowled. He didn't need to be told to do that.

Without warning, she charged at him, her cloak billowing out behind her. The attack came faster than before, Link throwing out his shield to block it. The wood splintered, the pieces crumbling off of his forearm and falling to the floor, leaving him without defense.

"Agh!"

He cried out sharply as her blade pierced clean through his shoulder and out the other side of his body, pain searing through him like fire. Spots danced across his vision as he lurched back, trying to dislodge the metal. Fi unceremoniously yanked the long sword back, ripping another scream from him. He clutched a hand to the wound, feeling warmth soak through his tunic and seep between his fingertips.

He glared at her to disguise the panic that rose like bile within him. How was he supposed to defeat her at this rate?

The demon mistress held her blade out to the side, a few red droplets falling off of the steel and splashing to the floor, before descending upon him once more. He was barely able to keep up with her movements, awkwardly trying to counter her controlled and precise strikes. He grunted as she sliced into his side, and then again at his arm, creating two new gashes. They weren't fatal strikes, but seemingly designed to test him in a sense.

"Your technique is unspectacular," she commented between blows, "and you are losing blood quickly."

Anger boiling over and pushing back the pain, Link gave a cry as he brought his sword down at her with strength that appeared to take her off guard, if only for an instant. She managed to block his strike but in doing so left her midsection wide open.

"Now, sky child!" Ghirahim's excited voice rang in his ears. The hero slashed at her, once, twice, thrice, before she regained her guard and staggered back, clutching a hand to her stomach.

With no change in expression whatsoever, she glanced down, seeing a strange black substance on her hands. When the girl brought her gaze back up to look at the human, her features appeared to be hardened. Link couldn't help but smirk at the fact that he'd gotten somewhat of a reaction out of her.

He was ready when she rushed at him again, the sudden turnaround in the fight having given him confidence.

Fi swung her sword in a wide arc but it harmlessly bounced off of the hero's, though the power behind it pushed him back a little.

Though, contrary to what he expected, she didn't stop there. The demon turned on her heel into a graceful spin, and this time her blade sliced high as it came back around.

It was so fast that the pain didn't hit Link until well after the steel had exited his neck. He stood in shock, trembling fingers slowly finding their way up to the newly formed gash across his throat. His mouth dropped open in a wordless gape, a coppery taste hitting his tongue.

"No," he tried to choke out but a sickening gurgle was all that he could manage. His own blood spilled past his lips, onto his hands. He could feel more of it freely dribble down from his neck, soaking his tunic.

His mind couldn't keep up with what was happening, jamming like a broken gear. The room tilted and his knees hit the stone floor. His blade fell somewhere, its clatter sounding far away. He collapsed completely, unable to hold himself up any longer.

The last thing he registered was the sound of clicking heels and a bright light before everything was consumed by darkness.

* * *

**Wow, Link, you suck.**

**Ohhh nooo, what's gonna happen?**

**BTW thank you for the reviews thus far! Your feedback is the only thing that motivates me so keep it up, please and thank you~!**

**R&R**


	3. Failure, in some aspects

**Chapter 3 yay**

**follow up to the Fi encounter and Link takes a dip**

**Thank you for your reviews~**

**Apologies for any typos.**

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The sheet of black slowly lifted, taking with it the heavy weight of unconsciousness. His senses trickled back to him like a slow but steady stream of water. Sounds found their way to his eardrums, a flickering light reached his eyes through his eyelids. His fingers twitched on the floor as his mind tried crawling back to its physical body.

He was only vaguely aware of a hand working its way under his shoulders, lifting them from the ground slightly. A soft groan left him as his head tilted back and something cold was brought to his lips. A bitter liquid trickled into his mouth and he swallowed instinctively, brows furrowing as he was steadily brought back to full awareness.

His body ached terribly in several places, but he felt the pain ebbing as he continued drinking whatever it was being fed to him. The hero's eyelids fluttered open, his sights finding the ceiling of the temple high above him. Remembering where he was and what had happened prior to him passing out, he inhaled sharply in panic... mid-swallow.

The youth choked, coughing out red liquid all over himself – which, surprisingly, wasn't blood.

"Such a fuss…" A familiar voice scolded. Link's vision came into focus on a pale, white-haired man above him. His face was drawn, dark brown eyes fixated on the blond.

"Wh-what…?" Link managed out, taking in the stranger's appearance.

A crimson cloak was thrown elegantly over his shoulders, the edges of it resting on the floor. His white attire underneath didn't leave a lot to the imagination. A golden sash was pulled around his waist, held together by a large red jewel. A smaller diamond, blue in colour, dangled from his right ear, twinkling slightly in the light. He held a half empty bottle in one gloved hand.

Link placed his palms on the ground and pushed himself up into a sitting position.

Despite how bizarre the man looked, there was something distinctly recognizable about him.

"Ghirahim…?" The youth questioned softly, searching for some explanation. The spirit's eyes narrowed (which was a bit odd to see as Link had grown somewhat accustomed to his pupil-less stare up until this point.)

"As much as the process drains me, I had to alter my state for your sake, sky child." Ghirahim held the remainder of the red potion out to Link, which he accepted, before rising from his crouched position.

The hero stared down at the contents of the bottle before downing the rest of it.

"What happened?" He asked after a few moments of silence. Ghirahim's answer was blunt, his tone one of clear displeasure.

"She cut your throat and you very narrowly avoided death. If not for that fairy you wouldn't be breathing right now. Unfortunately, you were put out of commission for a while and I had to intervene."

Link frowned, recalling his fight with the so called Demon Mistress. He'd barely stood a chance against her.

And Ghirahim… Ghirahim had saved his life.

"Where is she now?" The Skyloftian asked quietly, his gaze falling to the floor.

The sword spirit flicked his hand uncaringly. "Gone. I managed to hold her off long enough for the spirit maiden to escape. She saw no point in lingering and vanished. However, a few minutes more and she would have destroyed me." A bitter expression slid over Ghirahim's features, as though he were highly put off by admitting this fact.

Link digested that for a few moments, numbly stowing the bottle away back in his pouch. He couldn't wrap his head around the fact that he'd nearly died.

The blond glanced down at his bloody and tattered clothing, reaching a hand up to feel at his neck. The skin was smooth, no evidence of the fatal wound he had suffered from before. It was only when he brought his gaze back up did he notice a familiar sprite hovering nearby.

The fairy seemed to be staring at him intently. Once she had assessed that his physical condition was up to par, she flew off and disappeared. Link felt gratitude swell in his chest watching the sprite fly off – like Ghirahim said; if not for her he wouldn't even be alive right now.

He hero pushed himself to his feet, pausing for a moment to pick up his sword, which lay discarded on the floor, and returning it to its sheath.

The sword spirit stepped in front of him calmly. Confused, Link was about to open his mouth to ask him what he was doing before a hand shot out and seized his jaw, jerking his face up. The words died in his throat when he saw the spirit's expression and he paled slightly.

"Listen to me carefully," Ghirahim hissed, his eyes narrowed dangerously. It was the first time Link had seen him angry, not annoyed but _angry,_ and it was kind of frightening. "I _do not want_ to make a habit of coming to your rescue. I don't expect a failure like that to happen again. Am I understood?"

The blond swallowed the lump in his throat, managing to nod his head slightly. Just like that the taller male let go of his chin and stepped back, his demeanor falling back to a neutral one. A soft flash of white light announced his return to the sword and Link was left alone in the silence of the final room of the Skyview Temple.

Shame washed over him. How could he have let himself be so careless? What if he had died? He would have failed Zelda, and so early on too.

Gritting his teeth in frustration, the youth glared at the golden door ahead of him before proceeding.

It was clear then. He would have to be more careful from here on out. And when he did eventually cross paths with that demon again, this time he would be ready.

* * *

The spring behind the temple was beautiful, to say the least. Crystalline water cascaded from the walls on either side of him. Elegantly decorated pillars rose up from the walkway. The atmosphere of the fountain was serene, unlike the rooms of Skyview that lay before it.

Link wasn't complaining, of course. He did need a breather after what had just transpired after all.

The hero traveled down the path a short ways, coming up to a few platforms that he had to leap across. Just up ahead was a floating symbol, like the one he had seen back up in Skyloft in the Statue of the Goddess. He knew exactly what to do.

Raising his blade, he sent a Skyward Strike at the symbol and it spun. A chiming noise rang out. His sword spirit materialized before him (now back in his black and white form) and relayed a message. Ghirahim had then summoned a tablet to pass on to him that would help him proceed with his mission. He knew what he had to do; the Eldin province was his next destination.

He turned to leave, but paused for a moment, looking down at the sparkling water and grimacing. What he would give to get the grime and blood and sweat off of his skin that had accumulated over his journey thus far right now. It may have been a silly thought but he deliberated. The water seemed so pure and untouched; would he somehow contaminate it and disturb the nature of the spring?

Just then, he felt a hand plant itself on his back and then shove him forward.

Link let out a yelp that was cut off as he plunged face-first into the waters, resurfacing within seconds.

"Ghirahim!"

The sword spirit was hovering just above the platform, looking highly pleased with himself. At least he was in a better mood, Link thought dryly.

"I could sense your train of thought." Ghirahim chuckled, waving his hand dismissively. "Don't worry; she won't mind you profaning her fountain a little."

Link narrowed his eyes at him. But… he did suppose he was already in the water, and it did feel incredibly nice on his sore muscles. What other damage could be done?

Dropping his glare, he sighed, reaching up to tug off his hat and laying it on the platform along with his sword and shield. He pulled his gloves and arm guards off next before reaching for his belt. The hero scowled, really wishing that the spirit didn't shove him in while he was _fully clothed. _

Ghirahim, who was still hovering in the air with one leg crossed over the other, raised a brow. "Oh? Am I going to get a show?"

Link rolled his eyes. He tugged off the strip of leather before removing his tunic and the layers underneath, quickly getting to work with ringing the blood out of them. The clear waters around him took on a faint red hue and for that he felt somewhat guilty, but soon enough it faded away. He spread his clothing out on the stone to dry in the sunlight.

The whole time he felt the spirit's watchful gaze on him, and for some reason, it made his cheeks burn. He huffed and turned away, sinking deeper into the waters.

A sharp, mocking laugh made him scowl.

"Oh, that's precious." Ghirahim exclaimed with mirth. "Do I make you uncomfortable, sky child?"

"No, being stared at while I'm half naked is one of my favourite pastimes," Link retorted with a modest amount of sarcasm before dunking his head under the surface. At least underwater he couldn't hear his companion speaking, but unfortunately he eventually had to come up for air. Ghirahim made a falsely sympathetic noise, waiting for him to resurface before speaking again.

"I am so _terribly_ sorry for that inconvenience…"

A devilish smirk spread across the spirit's features. He lowered himself so that he was sitting on the edge of the platform. "Tell me then, does gazing upon _this" –_ he gestured to his own figure – "form of mine bother you? Because it sure seems like it doesn't despite my attire… or rather, there lack of."

"Well…" Link dragged a hand down his face. Why was he even bothering thinking up a response to the sword spirit anyways? He rolled his eyes once more. He would ignore his companion for the rest of the day.

"Shut up and get back in your sword."

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**Any and all feedback is appreciated~! The action will pick up again next chapter.**

**R&R**


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